Cardinals advance in first round of playoffs
Just as daylight saving was coming to an end so did the Chadron Cardinals losing streak. The Cardinals, who started the season 6-0 then lost their last two regular season games by close margins to Gering on October 18, 20 to 23, and Sidney on October 25, 0 to 14, broke out of their slump in dynamite fashion as they won in the first round of the NSAA playoffs 42-18 over the No. 9 seeded Lincoln Christian Crusaders. Chadron's run game was back in dominating form as Quinn Bailey rushed for 311 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Cardinal defense was able to hold the Crusaders well under their 30 points per game average as Chadron rolled to victory on Friday afternoon at Cardinal Field.
Chadron scored on their first possession as they marched the ball down the field in 10 plays while using almost 6 1⁄2 minutes of the 1st quarter. The Cardinals started on their own 39-yard line and after nine Baily runs Chadron's Jayce Hoffman scored on a run from the 4-yard line. Bailey ran in the 2-point PAT and Chadron took an early 8-0 lead.
On the following possession the Crusaders, who started with good field position after three consecutive penalties for the Chadron kick off going out of bounds, were able to drive the ball from their own 41-yard line to score their first points. Lincoln Christian used a fake punt on their way to connecting on a 40 yard pass to Dominick Roth for the Crusader touchdown. The Crusader's PAT run was no good and with 3:18 left in the first quarter the score was 8-6 in favor of the Cardinals.
After fielding the ensuing kickoff at their own 40-yard line, the Cardinals put together another drive scoring their second touchdown on the first play of the 2nd quarter. After having a 29 yard touchdown run called back for a Cardinal holding penalty, Bailey took the ball two plays later from the 21-yard line for a Cardinal touchdown. The direct snap to Bailey and run for a 2-point PAT was good and with 11:53 left in the 2nd quarter the score was Chadron 16 and Lincoln Christian 6.
The Crusaders answered quickly with another touchdown after just seven plays but the Cardinal defense made a big stop on the PAT run attempt and held Lincoln Christian to just six points. Chadron then quickly countered with another touchdown of their own. This score came after an eight play drive that saw the Cardinals execute a fake punt to extend the drive and eventually scored on a 37 yard Bailey direct snap scamper. This time the PAT run attempt by Chadron was no good but with 5:50 left in the first half the Cardinals held a 22-12 lead over the Crusaders.
The first half ended with both team trading punts and then the Cardinal defense recording a forced turnover when they forced a fumbled that was recovered by Bricen Wright giving Chadron possession on their own 20-yard line. The Cardinals had time for a couple of plays before the end of the half but weren't able to score and they took a 22-12 lead into halftime.
After returning the second half kickoff to their own 37-yard line, Lincoln Christian came out and scored in five plays as Truman Paulson connected with Jamison Thies for a Crusaders touchdown from the Chadron 25-yard line. The Cardinal defense however again denied the Crusaders a 2-point PAT bringing the score to Chadron 22 and Lincoln Christian 18.
Following the touchdown, the Crusaders recovered their pooch kick as it bounced off a Chadron kick return team member. The Cardinal defense was able to hold Lincoln Christian from scoring eventually though, forcing a turn over on downs and giving the Cardinal's offense the ball on their own 23-yard line. The offense then scored in just six plays as Bailey ran for his third touchdown on the day from 55 yards out. The PAT run was no good but with 3:13 left in the 3rd quarter the Cardinals extended their lead to 28-12.
On the next Crusader possession Chadron's Kole Carnahan intercepted a Lincoln Christian pass after the Crusaders had driven deep into Chadron territory. Chadron's offense then scored quickly aided by a long throw and catch from Tobin Landen to Layne Davidson that covered 40 yards and striking on a nine yard jet sweep run by Bailey. JT Obando came in and kicked the PAT and at the 7:29 mark in the 4th quarter the Cardinals led 35-18.
The Chadron defense held Lincoln Christian to a three and out on their next offensive try. Chadron's Talon Jelinek made a big defensive play tackling the Crusader's runner for a 10 yard loss on first down and the Chadron defense held the Crusaders to a short run and an incomplete pass to force a punt that Quinn Bailey fielded, then returned for 33 yards to the 12-yard line. Two plays later Bailey scored from the 9-yard line and with Obando's second PAT kick Chadron extended their lead once again to 42-18.
The Cardinals will try to keep the ball rolling in a rematch of the game from October 25 as they face the Sidney Red Raiders in the second round of the NSAA C-1 football playoffs. Sidney was a first round winner over Omaha Roncalli 30-7. Kickoff for the Chadron/Sidney match up will be Friday, November 8, at 4 p.m. in Sidney.
Lincoln Christian: 6 6 6 0 - 18
Chadron: 8 14 6 14 - 42
Chadron-Jayce Hoffman four yard run (Bailey run 2-point PAT good)
Lincoln Christian-Truman Paulson to Dominick Roth 40 yard pass (PAT run no good)
Chadron-Quinn Bailey 21 yard run (Bailey run 2-point PAT good)
Lincoln Christian-Asa Wegrzyn nine yard run (PAT run no good)
Chadron-Quinn Bailey 37 yard run (PAT run no good)
Lincoln Christian-Truman Paulson to Jamison Theis 19 yard pass (PAT no good)
Chadron-Quinn Bailey 55 yard run (PAT run no good)
Chadron-Quinn Bailey nine yard run (JT Obando PAT kick good)
Chadron-Quinn Bailey eight yard run (JT Obando PAT kick good)
Rushing: Quinn Bailey 38 carries for 311 yards and 5 touchdowns, Lane Davidson 1 carry for 10 yards, Jayce Hoffman 2 carries for 5 yards and 1 touchdown
Passing: Tobin Landen 2 – 2 for 50 yards
Receiving: Lane Davidson 2 catches for 50 yards
Tackles: Bricen Bickel 12, Quinn Bailey 11, Lane Davidson 10, Mathew Lien 10, Bricen Wright 8, Braden Wright 6, Jayce Hoffman 6, Tobin Meyer 5, Talon Jelinek 5, Alex Fisher 5, Zane Cullers 4, Kole Carnahan 3, Johathan Fintel 2, Tayven Jenkins 1, Marcus Dunbar 1
